Duquette on the Orioles making a deal or two

Executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette just met with the Orioles media and seemed pretty certain he’d be able to pull off “a deal or two” before leaving Dallas Thursday night.

Duquette, who said the team “didn’t get much feedback” on their free-agent offers (they met with several more agents Wednesday and have offers out to pitchers and positions players), also said the club has been discussing several trades that would net them pitching. He didn’t anticipate a trade occurring until at least tomorrow morning, saying only that these things take time and it’s a process that involves putting a considerable amount at stake.

Given that Duquette has said the last few days that there are more relievers on the trade market than starters, my guess is they upgrade the bullpen following Thursday’s Rule 5 Draft.

As for the payroll –and the perceived notion that Baltimore can’t compete in the American League East with their financial constraints– Duquette said the organization’s budget doesn’t matter.

“There’s appropriate funding to field a competitive team here, but we have to make good choices,” Duquette said.

“It doesn’t matter what the budget is. It doesn’t matter to the fans. They are interested in seeing the product, they are interested in seeing the players. And our job is to put the best team we can, within the constraints of the market. So, you are not going to hear me talk about the budget or numbers. Because it’s, to me, it’s not important to the fans. They want to see a good product.”

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